840.50 UNRRA/9–2945: Telegram
The Ambassador in Czechoslovakia (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 12:48 p.m.]
397. Your 252, September 25 [21]. Adair of UNRRA has arrived in Praha to investigate reports that UNRRA deliveries to Zecho are being given color of gifts from Soviet Union and that the non-Soviet staff of UNRRA in Zecho is not competent to deal with this situation. He informed me today that he had already learned enough to cause him to recommend a reorganization of UNRRA’s activities in Zecho and of the staff. He feels and I agree that as it would be politically inadvisable to replace Alexjev as Chief of UNRRA mission at this time, other available corrective measures should be resorted to.
I doubt the Czech Government can materially assist in informing the public of the true situation as long as the Ministry of Information which controls the press and radio is dominated by Communists. On the other hand if corrective measures contemplated by Adair are made effective promptly it will be possible to inform the Zecho public of the true situation thru prominent individuals connected with the Government.